Acid Mucopolysaccharides

Disease

Purpose of the Acid Mucopolysaccharide Test

Acid Mucopolysaccharide test performed to determine the amount of mucopolysaccharides released into the urine. Acid mucopolysaccharides test is measured over a twenty four hour time frame. Mucopolysaccharides are long string of sugar molecules available through out the body. It is widely present in mucous and in fluids around the joints. Acid mucopolysaccharides test is also known as AMP, Urine Heparan Sulphate and urine dermatan sulphate.

When should the Acid Mucopolysaccharide test be done?

Acid mucopolysaccharides test is performed to check whether the patient is suffering from a rare group of genetic disorder called Mucopolysaccharidoses. Mucopolysaccharidoses is the characterized buildup of sugar mucopolysaccharides in body tissues. Acid mucopolysaccharides test is also performed to diagnose Hurler Syndrome. The test is usually done only on infants who have family history of Mucopolysaccharidoses.

How the Acid Mucopolysaccharide test should be done?

The Acid mucopolysaccharides test is performed on twenty-four hour urine samples. The pathologist might ask the patient to discontinue some medicine which might impact the testresults. Hence the patient is suggested to disclose the medicine which he/she is consuming as a part of some medication. The urine sample is collected in a special container as per the following schedule:

On the first day the urine is collected only after the patient passes the first urine, that is, once the patient wakes up in the morning he/she can urinate in the toilet and should not collect the first urination sample. Afterwards, the patient should collect all the urine sample for the next twenty four hours. On the second day the patient should wake up and collect only the first urinesample in the container. The urine sample container should be refrigerated or should be kept in a cool place. Once the patient has collected all the urine sample in the manner as explained above, then the container should be delivered to the laboratory or your health care provider immediately. It is to be noted that the Acid mucopolysaccharides test requires only normal urination and hence the patient need not take any special medication and there is no discomfort during urination. The normal test result varies with the age of the patients and also the values range among the laboratories. Hence the pathologists of the laboratory performing the test should be consulted. A very high level of mucopolysaccharides in the urine is a sign of Mucopolysaccharidoses. The consulting doctor should carry further tests to determine the type of Mucopolysaccharidoses in case the laboratory test results show very high level of mucopolysaccharides in the urine.